Many people, young and old, suffer from dental issues. Whether you have to get root canals or braces, visiting the dentist or orthodontist can be a source of contention for several, especially if the burden of paying for these visits falls on your shoulders. That is why having good dental insurance is so important. If you have crooked Dental Services Definition teeth, you have several options for getting that smile in good shape, but you may not know the benefits and pitfalls of each. Understanding fully what each option entails will give you a good idea of what to ask when you see the orthodontist, which means that you will likely know which you prefer by the end of this article.
Conventional Braces
The use of conventional braces, meaning the wire type that you usually see on teenagers and earns them the name “brace face,” is actually ancient. People have been using wire braces in some form or another for centuries. Basically, you have an arch wire, which goes across the braces from one end to the other, and this arch wire exerts pressure. This is what moves your teeth into the correct position. Getting wire braces is very common, even though they are very noticeable. Some people decide to get ceramic or porcelain braces, as they are not so obvious. Others who get Tooth Pathology wire braces choose to enjoy the experience and get fun colors for the rubber bands, so when they smile, you get a mouthful of color! Wire braces tend to take about 18 to 24 months to straighten teeth, depending on how much work is required on your particular smile. The downside, besides having a very obvious metal mouth, is that conventional braces tend to be a bit painful in the beginning. It is only natural, as you have never had metal permanently installed in your mouth. There are ways around the pain, like dental wax or even a topical anesthetic if necessary.
Invisalign (Clear Braces)
For those of us who are incredibly vain about our smiles, or just simply want something less metal-y in our mouths, there is the option of Invisalign to straighten your teeth. Usually, this form of teeth straightening is used for smiles that do not require significant work, and are typically used on adults. The reason for avoiding using Invisalign on teenagers or children is because their jawbones are still growing, so the computer that generates the future forms of their smiles will have a difficult time of it. In any case, using clear braces has an incredible amount of benefits, the most obvious one being that they are not obvious at all.
In some extreme cases, you may not be able to fix your dental issues with just braces. You may need to undergo surgery in order to get your smile in top shape. You may choose to do this, which can be costly and sometimes painful, or you can decide that you can live with whatever smile you were given. A third option is to not worry about getting your teeth exactly right, but to get your teeth straightened the best possible amount. Whatever you decide, remember that your dental insurance must be able to cover it, or you will have to shell out quite a bit of money from your own pocket.